Joan Forsberg was born in Victoria, BC, Canada and has been interested in animals and drawing animals since childhood. She earned a BSc in Biology from the University of Victoria and completed the Scientific Illustration Certificate program at the University of Washington. She works as a fisheries biologist for the International Pacific Halibut Commission in Seattle where her main job is determining the age of halibut from their otoliths (earbones). She also does some scientific illustration for publications by Halibut Commission staff. Favorite media/techniques include pen & ink, carbon dust, color pencil, and dry brush water color.